Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability – a scientometric analysis of the interrelationship

Abstract

Purpose Traditional economic systems have had serious detrimental effects on environmental development and unequal wealth distribution, culminating in ecological disasters and demographic imbalances. A study of the interrelationships between the principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) would be advantageous, given the prevalence of unequal opportunities and access to resources in a global economy (CSR). To address global and diverse challenges, fieldwork and their relationships must be examined. In this context, the current study aims to investigate the linkages between the concepts of CSR and sustainability to better understand current scientific advances and future research prospects. Design/methodology/approach The bibliometric analysis technique is applied in the implementation of this study project. To find the existing links, a total of 3,079 publications on the themes of sustainability and CSR were analysed. The research works from Scopus were chosen because they have a large number of papers, authors and journals while meeting the peer-review standard for scientifictuality, and they have a high number of papers, authors and journals. Findings As a result, interest in this field of study has grown significantly, with Garca-Sánchez being the most productive author, Business, Management and Accounting is the most researched topic, and sustainability Switzerland being the most productive publication. The USA has the most articles and citations, whereas Salamanca University is the most prolific producer. Future research should concentrate on the social dimension and its implications for the Circular Economy. Finally, a research line is presented that integrates recommendations from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Originality/value The paper does fit in bringing the relevant and novel collection of data.